Dear Miley Cyrus — You Have Everything We All Want, So Please Stop Cutting Yourself

In new TMZ photos of Miley Cyrus walking around LA yesterday, those ‘mysterious’ marks on her arm seem to have returned. I say ‘returned’ because she had previously caused controversy back in April when similar marks were spotted on her arm. Some people were sure she was cutting herself, but Miley responded to the rumors by insisting that she doesn’t self-mutilate. However, she also didn’t say what the marks were from, and hasn’t addressed the problem since they’ve been sighted again.

So I’m not a doctor, or an ‘insider’ on Miley’s life, or anyone important, but let me say this: I think those marks are from cutting. I’ve seen those types of marks before, and they’re not from your cat, and they’re not from getting scratched up from nettles while you were hiking, and we’re not idiots. They’re clean slices on the inside of her forearm, which isn’t a place that’s typically scratched up unless the rest of you is. Also they miraculously disappear and reappear, which suggests to me an ongoing problem. Again, I don’t have any insider info here, but even if Miley isn’t cutting, she’s giving the impression that she is (the second thing that comes up when you type in ‘Does Miley Cyrus…” on Google is “Does Miley Cyrus cut herself”, right after “Does Miley Cyrus smoke”) and that’s damaging and irresponsible to her fans.

After all, look at Miley’s life. Cutting yourself is obviously never a solution to anything, but I worry that fans look at Miley’s incredible life and think, “If she has a reason to cut, I definitely do.” Think of what you’re implicitly telling your fans — even though I’m engaged to marry Liam Hemsworth, one of the hottest guys in the world, and get paid to do what I love, and have a banging body that every blogger is jealous of, and am rich and famous with adorable dogs…my life sucks and I hate it. You can’t be putting out those vibes, it’s not fair to your fans. You’re famous and you have to set an example for other girls. It’s totally unfair, but it’s definitely true.

You’re nineteen years old and engaged, Miley, it’s time to be an adult and face how utterly awesome your life is.

@ALEXIS, I CAN ASSURE YOU AND EVRYBODY WEORRIED ABOUT THERE, MILEY CYRUS IS NOT CUTTING HERSELF, THAT’S A SCRACHES FROM THE DOG, BECAUSE I HAVE 3 DOGS MYSELF AND I HAD EXACKLY THE SAME SCRATCHES, AND I’M SURE MILEY CYRUS WILL NOT BE PARTING HER ALL FIVE DOGS, SO CHANCES ARE YOUR CAN ALWAYS SEE THAT SCRATCHES ON MILEY ‘CAUSE SHE LOVE THOSE DOGS SO MUCH AND PLAY WITH ALL THE TIME .BESIDES I SAW WHAT CUTTING LOOKS LIKE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AND IT’S DEFINITELY NOT LIKE SCRATCES ON MILEY HANDS. SO GUYS STOP WORRYING FOR NOTHING…

Wow

Depression doesn’t discriminate between celebrities and the rest of us. SI is a real problem for many young adults, and it probably has nothing to do with how ‘awesome’ her life is. You’re obviously uninformed. It must be nice to be as naive as you are about such subject matter. What an ignorant, condescending post.

jb5

This. I was going to comment, but this sums up everything I was going to say perfectly. I used to cut and right now I am in the best place in my life that I ever have been (engaged to a wonderful man, have an amazing job, have tons of supportive friends) and I *still* have urges to cut.

kaeleen

This article makes me sick. Sometimes people who have it all are the saddest. she does struggle, it’s not something to be taken lightly.

Jay

Cutting doesn’t have to do with how bad your life is, it’s a psychological disorder that stems from not knowing how to correctly relieve stress and high emotions. This article, while in good heart, is sadly uninformed like most people.

Bad Call

I agree with other posters here that this article is highly irresponsible and shows just how little the author knows about the psychology of mental illness that leads to things like cutting – and also shows how quickly bloggers are willing to jump to conclusions based on no evidence. I have two cats and have never had a self-harm problem, yet on occasion I have cut marks from animal claws on my upper and lower arms that look exactly like the ones that Miley has in this photograph. Maybe if the anonymous hordes weren’t so eager to assume the gossipy worst about celebrities based on no evidence, because then they could follow up with some truly bad advice that blames the victim of a mental disorder for having the mental disorder in the first place (because successful rich people should be happy no matter what, apparently), then…well, then this author would be out of a job, I guess.

richard gilligan

I don’t like seeing her like this it get me very very upset please miley stop if u are hurt yourself!!

Lisa

Jay’s comment is right, cutting oneself has to do with a psychological disorder and just telling someone to stop, as the title of this article does, won’t help. Saying “just stop” won’t help the following groups of people: cutters, smokers, alcoholics, drug addicts, trichotillomaniacs (compulsive hair pullers), nail biters, OCD sufferers who have whatever repetitive habits, stutterers. Miley Cyrus may be a celebrity but if she is suffering psychologically, the best advice one could give her might just be the same advice one would give any young person with an emotional or other problem: seek help from someone you trust.

yourperfectlife

I got physically sick after reading your blog. I have a 12 year old son who is spending his summer in a intensive outpatient psych program because he cuts. Your uneducated statement about cutting and being able to turn off when ever you want is repulsive. Having a cool boyfriend and being skinny has nothing to do with it. Stick to gossip, and leave the mental health issues to the professionals.

Rebecca Esther

Thank you for this comment! You’re absolutely right. I was in treatment too and know it’s terribly hard. I wish you and your son all the best.

Cara

Wow, ironically, it’s this article in itself that is “damaging and irresponsible to her fans”.

lucygoosey74

I think it’s sad, and I feel bad for her IF she is cutting.

Shellay

I agree that these are obviously just play scratches from the many various puppies she owns. Anyone who has puppies or dogs can recognize that. I had tons just like that when my dogs were puppies–their teeth and claws are razor sharp, even if they mean no harm.

RIDICULOUS that you would post such inflammatory, insensitive and downright ignorant comments–but I guess that is the power of the internet at work. Any idiot can broadcast whatever idiot thing they want..

As a former cutter, I am completely appalled by the title of this article. Poor kids, rich kids, celebrities, civilians, anyone can be depressed an turn to a poor coping method. It’s a symptom of a larger mental disorder, and you can’t tell anyone to stop being depressed any more than you can someone to stop having diabetes. I see articles on this site and the sister site The Gloss all the time talking about how you can’t tell someone skinny to eat a sandwich. This seems worse to me. Cutting is a private and deeply shameful behavior, and if Miley does this, it’s up to her to look for help. I’m normally not one to rush to the aid of celebrities, but cutting is such a misunderstood behavior. It’s not just middle class teens cutting, but young adults and older people as well who suffer from depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, or one of any number of disorders that can cause this.

Long story short, don’t tell someone to stop cutting just because it appears her life is great. It’s a symptom of a larger disorder, and it’s not that easy.

Anonymous

I don’t think having dogs makes you have a beautiful life. She’s famous and with being famous comes a lot of stress. I don’t believe this article is fair at all. You don’t seem to know a lot on the topic, and you aren’t and ‘insider’ on her life and you don’t know her real struggles. You’re wrong.

Kylie

You dont know her and you dont know whats happening in her life therefore you have no right to judge her .